Selection of a send job by a user is accepted in an execution history which displays the execution history of a send job for sending data to a destination. It is determined whether the user has an authority to execute the send job displayed in the execution history. If it is determined that the user has the authority, an item for reusing a destination used when the selected send job was executed is displayed in a screen including the execution history.
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8. A method of controlling a data transmission apparatus, the method comprising:
optically reading a document;
executing a send job for sending image data generated by reading the document;
storing history data for the send job, wherein the history data includes destination information indicating a send destination of the image data;
displaying on a display a screen which allows a login user to select an item of history data among history data items corresponding to a plurality of send jobs;
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user has a predetermined user attribute, allowing the login user to set the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed; and
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user does not have the predetermined user attribute, restricting the login user from setting the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling a data transmission apparatus, the method comprising:
optically reading a document;
executing a send job for sending image data generated by reading the document;
storing history data for the send job, wherein the history data includes destination information indicating a send destination of the image data;
displaying on a display a screen which allows a login user to select an item of history data among history data items corresponding to a plurality of send jobs;
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user has a predetermined user attribute, allowing the login user to set the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed; and
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user does not have the predetermined user attribute, restricting the login user from setting the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed.
1. A data transmission apparatus comprising:
a scanning unit configured to optically read a document;
a sending unit configured to execute a send job for sending image data generated by reading the document by the scanning unit;
a storage unit configured to store history data for the send job executed by the sending unit, wherein the history data includes destination information indicating a send destination of the image data;
an operation unit configured to display on a display a screen which allows a login user to select an item of history data among history data items corresponding to a plurality of send jobs; and
a control unit configured to,
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user has a predetermined user attribute, allow the login user to set the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed by the sending unit, and
in at least a condition that history data of a send job of a user different from the login user is selected by the login user via the screen and the login user does not have the predetermined user attribute, restrict the login user from setting the destination information included in the selected history data as destination information for a new send job to be executed by the sending unit.
2. The data transmission apparatus according to
wherein the control unit is configured to, in a case where the execution result of the send job of the selected history data is abnormal, control the operation unit to display a warning that the send job of the selected history data was executed abnormally.
3. The data transmission apparatus according to
4. The data transmission apparatus according to
5. The data transmission apparatus according to
a management unit configured to manage a plurality of user attribute and manage, for each user attribute, information on whether use of at least one function is permitted or not, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to determine whether to allow the login user to set, to the data transmission apparatus, data included in the selected history data via the screen as data for a new job to be executed, based on the information managed by the management unit.
6. The data transmission apparatus according to
7. The data transmission apparatus according to
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1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which manages a job history, an image forming apparatus control method, and a storage medium storing a program.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the number of functions of an image forming apparatus is increasing, user setting work on the screen becomes more complicated when executing a job. By reusing past settings, user setting friendliness is improved.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-297488 discloses a technique of calling an operation history in an image forming apparatus to be operated or a remote image forming apparatus in cooperation with user authentication, and reusing it for a screen operation. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-60126 discloses a technique of specifying one job in a job history stored in an image forming apparatus to be operated or a remote image forming apparatus, and printing it again.
It is common practice to reuse the job execution history, as described above. However, an image forming apparatus is often shared between a plurality of users, unlike a PC, cellar phone, or the like. For example, a malicious user may illicitly use the execution history.
An aspect of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned problems with the conventional technology. The present invention provides an image forming apparatus which prevents illicit use of an execution history, an image forming apparatus control method, and a storage medium storing a program.
The present invention in its first aspect provides an image forming apparatus comprising: a history display unit configured to display an execution history of a send job for sending data to a destination; a selection acceptance unit configured to accept selection of a send job by a user in the execution history displayed by the history display unit; a determination unit configured to determine whether the user has an authority to execute the send job displayed in the execution history; and an acceptance display unit configured to, when the determination unit determines that the user has the authority, display, in a screen including the execution history, an item for reusing a destination used when the selected send job was executed.
The present invention in its second aspect provides an image forming apparatus control method comprising: a history display step of displaying an execution history of a send job for sending data to a destination; a selection acceptance step of accepting selection of a send job by a user in the execution history displayed in the history display step; a determination step of determining whether the user has an authority to execute the send job displayed in the execution history; and an acceptance display step of, when the user is determined in the determination step to have the authority, displaying, in a screen including the execution history, an item for reusing a destination used when the selected send job was executed.
The present invention in its third aspect provides a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a history display step of displaying an execution history of a send job for sending data to a destination, a selection acceptance step of accepting selection of a send job by a user in the execution history displayed in the history display step, a determination step of determining whether the user has an authority to execute the send job displayed in the execution history, and an acceptance display step of, when the user is determined in the determination step to have the authority, displaying, in a screen including the execution history, an item for reusing a destination used when the selected send job was executed.
The present invention can prevent illicit use of history information.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described hereinafter in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the following embodiments are not intended to limit the claims of the present invention, and that not all of the combinations of the aspects that are described according to the following embodiments are necessarily required with respect to the means to solve the problems according to the present invention. Note that the same reference numerals denote the same building components, and a repetitive description thereof will be omitted.
An outline of the operation of the image forming system 100 when the user 5 uses a function of the image forming apparatus 10 he wants will be explained. First, the image forming apparatus 10 makes an inquiry to the authentication server 30 based on login information of the user 5, and determines, based on the result, whether to permit execution of the function. The authentication server 30 sends back an ACT (Access Control Token) token 40 to the image forming apparatus 10 based on the function restriction list 35 and the inquiry information notified from the image forming apparatus 10. The ACT token 40 describes function restriction information about functions which are usable or unusable in the image forming apparatus 10 by the user 5. Upon receiving the ACT token 40, the image forming apparatus 10 imposes function restriction on the user 5 by referring to the contents of the ACT token 40. The image forming apparatus 10 can also display an error or warning about a restricted function to the user 5.
[Arrangement of Image Forming Apparatus]
The memory 203 includes a ROM which stores various programs to be executed by the CPU 201, and a RAM which temporarily stores data necessary for control. The scanner unit 204 optically reads a printing medium such as a document. The FAX transmission/reception unit 205 is connected to a telephone line, and performs FAX transmission/reception to/from the outside. The printing unit 206 prints an image or the like on a printing medium based on data. The printing unit 206 prints on a printing medium by, for example, discharging ink from a printhead. The operation panel 207 displays a user interface screen to the user. Also, the operation panel 207 accepts an instruction from the user via the user interface screen. The communication interface 208 performs e-mail transmission, SMB transmission, and transmission/reception of data necessary for authentication via the network 80.
The CPU 201 executes various programs, and controls the overall image forming apparatus 10. The CPU 201 expands, in the memory 203, a program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 202, and executes it. As a result, the CPU 201 designates the respective units and implements various functions such as scanning, printing, and transmission. The CPU 201 determines whether to permit each user of the image forming apparatus 10 to use various functions. The determination method will be described later. The CPU 201 acquires function restriction information of each user serving as the determination criterion from the authentication server 30 via the communication interface 208 and network 80. The CPU 201 designates the respective units in accordance with the acquired function restriction information, and executes function restriction for each user.
[Function Restriction List]
The function restriction list 35 held in the authentication server 30 will be explained with reference to
The column 301 represents functions provided by each image forming apparatus. The column 302 represents details of each function represented in the column 301. The columns 303 to 307 represent pieces of function restriction information for respective user attributes. The column 303 represents function restriction information of a user having an attribute “Administrator”, and the column 304 represents function restriction information of a user having an attribute “Power User”. The column 305 represents function restriction information of a user having an attribute “General User”, and the column 306 represents function restriction information of a user having an attribute “Limited User”. The column 307 represents function restriction information of a user having an attribute “Guest User”. For example, in the embodiment, a user having the attribute “General User” is permitted to use full-color copying and the new destination send function. A user having the attribute “Guest User” is inhibited from using full-color copying and the new destination send function.
[User Management Table]
The image forming apparatus 10 internally holds a user management table as shown in
[Execution of Job]
Processing until a job is executed and the execution history of the job is stored in the job history storage unit 2021 of the auxiliary storage unit 202 will be explained with reference to the flowchart of
In step S506, the CPU 201 displays a main menu screen including a function list as shown in
A case in which the user 5 having a user name “a” logs in to the image forming apparatus 10 will be explained. The CPU 201 looks up the user management table shown in
A case in which the user 5 having the attribute “Limited User” presses the button 703 and selects the “scan to send” function will be explained.
When the CPU 201 detects pressing of the address book button 802, it acquires a registered send destination information list from the address book storage unit 2022, and displays it. The user 5 selects, from the list, a send destination he wants, and designates the start of sending.
The CPU 201 accepts the send start instruction, and determines whether execution of the job can start (step S507). If the CPU 201 determines that execution cannot start owing the network communication status or the like, the process returns to step S506. If the CPU 201 determines that execution can start, it determines whether the user 5 can execute the designated function (step S508). For example, when the user attribute is “Limited User”, sending by FAX, FTP, NCP, SMB, and WebDAV is permitted, but sending by E-mail and I-FAX is inhibited. If the destination contains E-mail or I-FAX, the CPU 201 determines that sending is inhibited, displays a warning to this effect, and returns to step S506 (step S509). In this case, an unusable function may be displayed with hatching or the like in addition to the warning display.
If the CPU 201 determines in step S508 that the user 5 can execute the designated function, it executes the function (step S510). The CPU 201 determines whether the job which executes the function has ended (step S511). If the CPU 201 determines that the job has not ended, it repeats the processing in step S511 until the CPU 201 determines that the job has ended. If the CPU 201 determines that the job has ended, it writes the contents set in sending and information about the sending result in the job history storage unit 2021 of the auxiliary storage unit 202 (step S512).
[List Display of Job Execution History]
When the user presses the status monitor button 706, the job history written in the job history storage unit 2021 is displayed as a list.
A job history list 908 is a list of execution-completed send jobs. The user can select a job he wants, from the job history list 908 (selection acceptance). “Date & time” represents the date and time when sending was completed, “job type” represents the type of send job in execution, and “user name” represents the name of a user who executed the job. “Destination” displays a send destination registered in the address book storage unit 2022 for a job for which a name is described in the send destination of a send job, and a newly input/sent send destination for a send job for which no name is described. “Result” represents normal end or abnormal end of sending. When the user presses a detailed information button 909, details of the setting contents of each send job are displayed. When the user presses a history data re-setting button 910 (item), he can set again a send job selected in the job history list 908. History data is data describing the setting contents of a job executed in the past. For example, for a job which executed the “copy function”, history data is data describing the copy count, output destination, and the like. When the user presses a close button 911, the status monitor screen 901 disappears, and the display returns to a previous screen. As shown in
[Re-Setting of Send Job]
The CPU 201 determines whether the history data re-setting function is permitted to the user 5 (step S1004). For example, if an attribute set in the permission group 405 for the user 5 is “Guest User”, the history data re-setting function is inhibited. In this case, the history data re-setting button 910 is not displayed (step S1005). For example, if the attribute is one other than “Guest User”, the CPU 201 recognizes that the history data re-setting function is permitted, and advances to the next processing.
Based on whether the user 5 is permitted to use the function, the CPU 201 determines whether to display the history data re-setting button 910 (step S1006). For example, if an attribute set in the permission group 405 for the user 5 is “Limited User”, the “scan to send” function is permitted, but the use of the copy function is inhibited. In this case, if the button 902 is selected from the buttons 902 to 905 on the status monitor screen 901, the CPU 201 does not display the history data re-setting button 910 for a copy job history (step S1005). If the CPU 201 determines, based on the use of functions for the user 5, to display the history data re-setting button 910, the process advances to step S1007.
The CPU 201 determines whether the user has selected, from the history of the job history list 908, a send job he wants (step S1007). If the CPU 201 determines that the user has not selected the send job, the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed by hatching or the like not to accept an instruction (step S1008). If the CPU 201 determines that the user has selected a send job he wants, it determines whether the selected send job is of a job type subjected to re-setting of history data (example of job determination). If the CPU 201 determines that the selected send job is not of a job type subjected to re-setting of history data, the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed by hatching or the like not to accept an instruction (step S1010). A job not of a job type subjected to re-setting of history data is a job which targets adjustment or maintenance. Such a job need not be used upon re-setting by the user, and is determined not to be of a job type subjected to re-setting of history data. If the CPU 201 determines that the selected send job is of a job type subjected to re-setting of history data, it determines whether the re-setting function of the job history of another user is permitted to the user 5 (step S1011). For example, if the attribute of the user 5 is “Limited User”, the re-setting function of the job history of another user is inhibited, as shown in
If the re-setting function of the job history of another user is permitted in step S1011, for example, if the attribute of the user 5 is “General User”, the CPU 201 determines whether the job is of a job type capable of re-setting history data (step S1013). For example, when the attribute of the user 5 is “General User”, sending by FAX, FTP, NCP, SMB, and WebDAV is inhibited. If the user has selected a job sent in one of these formats, the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed by hatching or the like not to accept an instruction (step S1010). In contrast, when the attribute of the user 5 is “General User”, sending by E-Mail and I-FAX is permitted. If the user has selected a job sent in either format, the process advances to step S1014.
In step S1014, the CPU 201 determines whether the new destination send function is permitted. For example, when the attribute of the user 5 is “Administrator” or “Power User”, the new destination send function is permitted. In this case, the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed to be able to accept an instruction (step S1016: example of acceptance display). If the new destination send function is inhibited, the CPU 201 determines whether the destination of the selected send job is a destination already registered in the address book storage unit 2022. If the CPU 201 determines that the destination of the selected send job is a registered destination, the current sending is not sending to a new destination, and the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed (step S1016). If the CPU 201 determines that the destination of the selected send job is not a registered destination, the current sending is sending to a new destination, and the history data re-setting button 910 is displayed by hatching or the like not to accept an instruction (step S1010).
Then, the CPU 201 determines whether the user has pressed the history data re-setting button 910 (step S1017). The processing in step S1017 is repeated until it is determined that the user has pressed the history data re-setting button 910. If the CPU 201 determines that the user has pressed the history data re-setting button 910, it determines whether execution of re-setting of history data can start (step S1018). For example, when another job is during execution such that it waits for the start of sending after scanning, no next job may be input. In this case, the CPU 201 displays a warning that re-setting of history data cannot start (step S1019).
If the CPU 201 determines that re-setting of history data can start, it determines which of normal end and abnormal end has been registered in the history as the sending result of the selected send job (step S1020). If the CPU 201 determines that abnormal end has been registered in the history, the sending destination may be erroneous, and the CPU 201 displays a warning to this effect to the user (step S1021). In the warning display, a confirmation button or the like may be displayed as an edit instruction, and if the user presses the button, the process may advance to step S1022 (example of instruction acceptance display). If the CPU 201 determines that normal end has been registered in the history, it controls to display an edit screen for editing again the send destination of the selected send job (step S1022: example of edit screen display).
The embodiment has exemplified a send destination, but the destination may be a printout destination instead of the send destination. In the above description, the authentication server 30 connected to the image forming apparatuses 10, 15, and 20 via the network 80 holds the function restriction list 35. However, the image forming apparatus may internally hold the function restriction list 35.
As described above, in the system which restricts usable functions for each user, even when reusing operation history information, function restriction is imposed based on the user authority. This can prevent illicit use by an unauthorized user.
Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out and executes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps of which are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For this purpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via a network or from a recording medium of various types serving as the memory device (for example, computer-readable medium).
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-246862, filed Nov. 10, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
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